CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHTS
Taniya Nayak EMILY ROSE Joseph ‘Rev Run’ Simmons Ravi Patel
the story!
Syfy expands into ‘The Expanse’ Thomas Jane stars in the series “The Expanse,” premiering Monday on Syfy.
Featured Stories “A CHRISTMAS MELODY” “Luther” “CHILDHOOD’S END”
movies to watch
WHAT'S FOR DINNER
Featuring: Salt-N-Pepa
EXCLUSIVE!
Profiled athlete
Amari Cooper
And so much more!
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YOURTVLINK
“Luther”
Idris Elba’s damaged sleuth pursues a deranged cannibal in London
CELEBRITY
4 Taniya Nayak
Nayak’s lighter side of Christmas
5 EMILY ROSE
‘Haven’ star enjoys William Shatner’s ‘very big presence’ in series finale
6 Joseph ‘Rev Run’
Simmons Family runs Rev ragged
8 Ravi Patel
Many irons in the fire
“A CHRISTMAS MELODY” Mariah Carey calls the shots on Hallmark holiday movie
9 Taniya Nayak
New judge for Christmas Light Fight “CHILDHOOD’S END” Syfy adapts classic Arthur C. Clarke story
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7 Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa are ‘Cookin’ in L.A.
SPORTS
the story!
18-19 Amari Cooper Young talent brings back the Silver and Black
“THE EXPANSE” Mystery gets futuristic in book-inspired Syfy series
MOVIES
IN EVERY ISSUE
Review, Our top DVD pick, and Coming Soon on DVD.
suggested programs to watch this week!
20-21 Featuring: Theatrical
FOOD
22-23 Featuring: Our top
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REALITY 16 “Married by Mom
and Dad” Lookin’ for love - with Mom and Dad’s help
Editor's choice
STORY
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How different will detective work be in the future? Different enough to justify a new series hybrid of mystery and science-fiction, inspired by a best-selling book franchise. Syfy gives “The Expanse” a two-night premiere Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 14 and 15, with Thomas Jane among its stars as a sleuth who’s weary of his world 200 years from now, when the solar system has been colonized. Steven Strait (“Magic City”) also stars as a spaceship captain united with him in the search for a missing woman, which ultimately has implications for all of mankind. Though the “Expanse” novels (five, to date), novellas (two) and short stories (two) state the author as James S.A. Corey, that’s actually the pen name used by the team of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. Executive producer Naren Shankar, an alum of such sci-fi-oriented series as “Almost Human” and “Farscape,” credits the writers with devising “a truly living, believable, fully rendered, fleshed-out place. And in terms of where the series can go, it can just keep going, and that’s a wonderful thing to have underneath everything we’re doing.” Jane has done his share of feature films, including “Magnolia” and “Deep Blue Sea,” but he also has done series work before with HBO’s “Hung” and History’s limited-run “Texas Rising.” He says he appreciates weekly television for its “much broader opportunity to really dig in and flesh out a character, provided you have great writing, which this show does. And that’s why I’m here, because great writing turns me on. And this show has exceptional writing ... starting with the books that we all (in the ‘Expanse’ cast) read and turned us on, and then sitting down with the (TV-series) team.” Also notable among the “Expanse” performers is Shohreh Aghdashloo (“24,” “House of Sand and Fog”), playing a political wheeler-dealer whose United Nations position helps her keep the interests of Earth in clear view. She applauds “the diversity on this show – which is amazing – (and) all the amount of work and the thought and the money that this the production is putting into this, which is making it really huge. I’ve worked 35 years. I’ve never seen anything like this. Every time I go to work, (there are) different stages, Martians, this and that. I am like, ‘How many films are we making here?’ ” By Jay Bobbin
Pictured: Shohreh Aghdashloo
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Indeed, earthlings, Martians and the edge-of-society Belters comprise the three factions of “The Expanse.” Shankar explains that “when people get to the point where they can identify somebody else as different from them, that’s when conflict starts to happen ... when you can say that person is not the same color as you, or is not the same tribe as you. That gives you a reason to fight. “One of the themes we have at the heart of the show,” adds Shankar, “is this sense that that same quality that enables human beings to conquer space and to do great, great things are the same qualities that cause us to fight and cause us to wage war. Think of it as humanity at another one of those points where it’s a powder keg just waiting for a spark to happen. And then lots of bad things will happen after that.” December 13 - 19, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 3
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CELEBRITY George Dickie’s Q&A
Taniya
Nayak of ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’ Monday on ABC
What are some of the more outrageous displays you’ve seen on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight”? Generally speaking, I can tell you that I saw everything from live dance shows to fire – in a good way, not accidental fire (laughs). I’ve seen smoke, water. I mean, it was just over the top. Musical coordination, like synchronized light shows that had everything from a Broadway feel to club music to Christmas songs. I saw just about everything you could possibly imagine.
Live dance displays? Yeah, dancing, live singers. I mean, I’ve seen sports fanatics. I’ve just seen things that I never thought I would see in a Christmas light display. ... Very theatrical.
Do you think these people are going bigger and better just to get on the show?
No, these people, I can tell you because of the accumulation and the time it’s taken them, they do this from their hearts, they do it because they love it, they do it because of the kids, because of family, because of the community. I don’t believe any single person that I met during the run of this show was doing it just for television.
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With all the activity and TV cameras around these houses, how have the neighbors reacted? I feel like a lot of the neighbors are very accepting. And you have to remember, these people have on a yearly basis hundreds to thousands of cars that will drive through in their neighborhood to come and watch the light display. So luckily, I think they have great relationships with their neighbors. I have seen a few people where they’d have a couple of lights that might have said ‘Ditto’ with an arrow in lights pointing to the house next door (laughs). I think people have fun with it.
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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A
Emily
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Rose of ‘Haven’ Thursday on Syfy Did you know at the time you filmed the Thursday, Dec. 17, series finale of “Haven” that it was the end? We pretty much assumed that. Every year, we went (to Nova Scotia) for six months to film – and this time, we went for nine months to film 26 episodes, so all the writers, cast and crew were preparing for it to be the end. If for some reason we got granted an extra season, we were going to be super-surprised. Fortunately, sci-fi is sci-fi, and we knew we could always create an “out” if we had to – but the best way to say goodbye to a show is to have a proper goodbye, and to write the end of the story. It was really nice to be given the opportunity to do that. One of the genre’s icons, William Shatner, is a guest star in the finale. How was it to have him there? He is a very big presence, so it was really cool to have him as a part of everything. Just his being there kind of affects the air for everyone, I think. He’s William Shatner, but there’s a character that he’s playing, and he’s so professional and “on it” and still rocking it ... and to work across from him was such an honor. I remember calling my parents and saying, “You will never guess who I get to work with!” What was the general feeling of making the last episode? We were all very emotionally connected to it and wanted it to be the best that it could be. If we didn’t feel like it was the very last, I don’t think we would have treated it that way. We were so honored to have been on for six years; that’s a really healthy life for a show, and a successful life. We were all moving our stuff back to Los Angeles, so that’s where our heads were at.
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CELEBRITY George Dickie’s Q&A
Joseph ‘Rev Run’ Simmons of ‘Rev Runs Around the World’ Wednesday on Travel Channel
So therein lies the tension or drama? I guess. Therein lies the damn truth. I was really trying to relax and I really couldn’t get them to pull it off because they really wanted to see everything. And then try to lose some weight – we get to Switzerland, my wife’s looking at cheeses and chocolates and I’m like, ‘How am I going to keep on my diet when we’re in Switzerland and she’s talking cheese and chocolate?’ So it’s just been really almost like a slight battle, a battle of sexes and a battle of Daddy against kids.
Which of your stops surprised you the most?
The release for “Rev Runs Around the World” says you had no itinerary. Did you have an overall goal when you started out? The goal for me was different from my wife and my children. My goal was to relax. Their goal was to do everything and everything in between. So as I am trying to go on vacation, they’re ruining it for me trying to take me basically on camels in Dubai, they’ve gotten me riding elephants in Thailand, they’ve got me in Iceland trying to go in a glacier, which turned out to be a complete, crazy disaster, but I won’t give that all away. And that’s basically what happens. I’m trying to find a hammock and they try to drive me crazy. Page 6 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote December 13 - 19, 2015
I think the most surprising place for me of all the places was Bali because it’s so beautiful. Then on the outskirts, after you’re not in the nice hotel, there are all these different foods that are being cooked and all these different people that are really of the Balinese. And you’re thinking that maybe there’s going to be a big, gorgeous mall and we couldn’t find any of that. There are markets ... you can go and buy some things but you’re not going to get the average – like in Dubai, they had big, beautiful malls. I could not find a big, beautiful mall in Bali, but it was so beautiful, unbelievable views, unbelievable weather.
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FOOD George Dickie’s What's for Dinner
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Salt-N-Pepa seek out the unusual and the savor y on ‘Cookin’ ’
In nearly 30 years of concert tours, hip-hop artists Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton developed a routine: get to a new city, check into the hotel, drop the bags and go find a restaurant. And it needs to be good. And that is the idea behind their Cooking Channel special “Cookin’ With Salt-N-Pepa,” airing Thursday, Dec. 17. In the half-hour program, the duo hits three Los Angeles-area restaurants of differing cuisines – one that satisfies Salt’s taste for Southern home cooking, one to scratch Pepa’s itch for spicy food, and a third suggested by family, friends, fans or locals – to find unusual dishes and take in culinary experiences. “It doesn’t have to be necessarily fancy,” James explains, “but wherever we are in that town it has to be recommended by a concierge or the fans or someone that’s from that particular city where we’re like, ‘OK, we have to go to this particular place.’ And so we wanted to do a cooking show at home but we travel so much, (so) why don’t we just do it while we’re on the road, visit some kitchens, get some recipes?” Among the comestibles the duo samples are a meatloaf burger at My Two Cents in Los Angeles that Denton calls “amazing,” Mexican/Caribbean dishes at Cha Cha Chicken in Santa Monica, and a pulled pork macaroni and cheese dish at the comfort food spot Grub in Hollywood. And wherever they go, James and Denton go into kitchens, talk to chefs, ask for recipes and try to deconstruct the meals to figure out how they can make them at home. “We’re always breaking down our food like foodies,” Denton says with a laugh. “We’re like, ‘Did you taste that? Oh, my God.’ Like we literally break down our food, so that is right up our alley to do the show because we’re really into it. Like, (we are) all about explaining what we’re eating.”
What book are you currently reading?
(James) “You know what I’m reading? ‘Eat That Frog!’ ... It’s about being more organized because with your to-do list, you do the little things first and you avoid the big thing, which is the frog, according to this book. It teaches you how to jump in and eat the big frog first. So that’s the self-help book that I’m on right now.”
What did you have for dinner last night?
(Denton) “I actually went to a restaurant last night, the Mohawk House, near where I live. And I had lobster thermidor, which is one of my favorite ways to prepare lobster. So that’s what I had last night.”
What is your next project?
(James) “We’ve been working on a cookbook ... . But a television series is our next project.”
When was the last vacation you took, where and why?
(Denton) “Oooh, I’m going on vacation tomorrow. I’m going to Dubai tomorrow (laughs). ... I went to Dubai last year for my birthday and once again it’s my birthday and I’m going to Dubai tomorrow.”
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CELEBRITY George Dickie’s Celebrity ScooP
Ravi
Patel
A quick glance at Ravi Patel’s bio reveals a veritable Renaissance man. Entrepreneur, philanthropist, publisher, investment banker, standup comic, actor, writer and now filmmaker. Everything except the occupation of his character on the Tuesday Fox sitcom “Grandfathered”: chef. Yes, you won’t find Ravi chopping, sauteeing or butterflying anytime soon. “Funnily enough,” the 36-year-old Chicago-area native says with a laugh, “I don’t cook at all. I used to cook years ago but yeah, since I’m busy with work cooking is one thing that has fallen off.” Patel has had his plate full – pardon the pun – recently not only co-starring as Chef Ravi on the first year John Stamos sitcom, but making and promoting his first documentary with his sister Geeta, “Meet the Patels.” It’s about Patel’s real-life trip to India with his family to find a wife in the traditional Indian way, the idea for which he got on the flight over. “I’m almost 30, my sister is single and my parents the entire flight are just losing their minds that we’re single – freaking out,” he says. “So inevitably, my sister and I are having these conversations and she’s holding this camera ... and that was the beginning of it evolving into something that was more about us.” These days, Patel is busy promoting the documentary, which is currently making the rounds in theaters across North America, and enjoying working on “Grandfathered.” “We just had lunch yesterday with all the actors and writers, and John had set it up,” he says. “And I was like ... ‘Is the show being canceled? What’s happening?’ And John was just like, ‘Oh, I just thought we’d have this lunch because we as actors always talk about how great the writing is and I thought it would be nice if we sat there and told you guys in person how much we like the show.’ “First of all, it speaks volumes as to the kind of person John is, which he’s a genuinely sweet guy. And I also think it speaks to kind of the family that we have on the show. It’s cool.”
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Date of birth: Dec. 18, 1978 Birthplace: Freeport, Ill. College: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; majored in economics and international studies TV credits: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Scrubs,” “Easy Money,” “Static,” “Past Life,” “Look,” “Bones,” “Perception,” “The New Normal,” “Super Fun Night,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Master of None” Movie credits: “The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down” (2006), “Transformers” (2007), “Hotel California” (2008), “Powder Blue,” (2009), “Men, Interrupted” (2010), “... Or Die” (2012), “Get a Job” (forthcoming) Non-show business ventures: Founded the poker magazine All In; stock broker his final year in college; investment banker; cofounder and co-CEO of This Bar Saves Lives, which produces granola bars; taught ski school during the 2002 Winter Olympics
CELEBRITY CelebritY profile
TaniyaN ayak
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- Born February 22, 1973 in India and raised in Weymouth, MA. - Known for designing many of New England’s hottest restaurants and lounges. She owns a successful, Boston-based interior design firm, Taniya Nayak Design LLC., where she adds a fresh, clean look to both commercial and residential spaces. - She earned a master’s degree in interior design from Boston Architectural College before landing her first TV gig on ABC Family’s “Knock First.” She moved to HGTV’s “FreeStyle” and “Designed to Sell” before debuting her own show, “Destination Design.” - She has become a bit of a household name as a design expert member on HGTV and Food Network. Among her numerous series, she has hosted “House Hunters on Vacation” and done design work for “Restaurant Impossible.”
Taniya Nayak is an interior designer, TV host, business owner, and restaurateur who can currently be seen hosting ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” - As one of America’s premiere designers, she has also made numerous appearances on national morning shows and home improvement programs. - In 2004, she was ranked in the top 10 of INDIA New England’s Business Women of the Year, and in April 2011, she was honored with an Excellence in Design award from ASID New England. - In 2014, she became brand ambassador for ED On Air, Ellen DeGeneres’s home product line. - Along with her husband, Brian O’Donnell, and partners, she owns 10 restaurants in the Boston area. She has designed them all through her design firm. - She is affiliated with two charities: Room To Dream Foundation – A Boston based charity that redesigns rooms for sick children and their siblings, and Habitat for Humanity – providing affordable housing for people in need. - This holiday season, along with Carter Oosterhouse, she is one of the new celebrity judges for season three of “The Great Christmas Light Fight” which features families and neighborhoods from across America decorating their homes to the extreme for Christmas with a total of $300,000 in prizes ($50,000 per episode) up for grabs.
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CELEBRITY
“A&E is a great choice, because I think they have a very strong crime-franchise base. It wasn’t too jarring to my system to leave CBS for A&E, although I’ll always love CBS. I think A&E is kind of a good cable version, if you will, of that.” – Poppy Montgomery of “Unforgettable” on A&E Network, about switching networks for the series’ current, fourth season
“I would ask for help. Engage the person who works there. I mean, there’s a big difference between liquor stores that carry a little bit of wine and wine stores that really care about their selections and things like that, so you’ve got to know what store you’re going into and I hope that everybody can find their way to a store where there’s somebody who cares about the wines that have been chosen there.” – sommelier Josh Nadel of “Uncorked” on Esquire Network, on how to choose wine Page 10 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote December 13 - 19, 2015
“There was a lot on my plate with my character being troubled and stressed, and I think Christy has earned a little more freedom and joy this season, starting to pursue some of her goals and some love-interest stuff. And that has been so fun for me.” – Anna Faris of “Mom” on CBS, about her character in the show’s just-started Season 3
CELEBRITY
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ON DVRs
Kelsey Nixon of “Kelsey’s Homemade” on Cooking Channel “ ‘Curious George’ and ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘The Mickey Mouse Club.’ (laughs) But that’s all for my son, obviously. For me, I love ‘Project Runway,’ which is airing right now. ‘Homeland’ is a favorite. Those are kind of my two shows right now, ‘Project Runway’ and ‘Homeland.’ ” Tarek and Christina El Moussa of “Flip or Flop” on HGTV “(Tarek and Christina) ‘Shark Tank,’ ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ ‘Fresh Off the Boat,’ ‘Game of Thrones’ ... (Christina) and ‘Don’t Be Tardy’ on Bravo. That’s my treadmill show.”
S. Epatha Merkerson of “Chicago Med” on NBC “I’ve binge-watched ‘Sense8’ and ‘The Killing’ – I think there are some great shows on Netflix – and I love ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Poldark.’ I’m a big TV person.”
Jay Harrington, recently of “Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow” on Lifetime “I’m kind of all over the place but I have for comedies ‘Modern Family,’ ‘You’re the Worst’ on FX. ... ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ I sort of watch that because the crew of that show was the crew for ‘Benched,’ the last show I did. And I just got into it and I’m an Andy Samberg fan. But one of my favorite shows just ended, which was on Cinemax, called ‘Strike Back.’ It was so good and had such a great ending, too.” December 13 - 19, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 11
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STORY
‘Luther’ returns
Idris Elba stars in “Luther” Thursday on BBC America. Story on next page
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STORY
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Idris Elba’s gritty
‘Luther’
returns on BBC America By John Crook
Click or tap on icon for more! Idris Elba’s name recently came up in a discussion of plausible front-runners to play James Bond once Daniel Craig surrendered the role. At the moment, however, Elba’s heart and mind are focused on another complex, emotionally damaged character: his Golden Globe Award-winning role as London Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, to which he returns for the fourth time in a night-long special event premiering Thursday, Dec. 17, on BBC America. As fans will remember, the last time we saw the character, Luther had prevailed against his latest adversary, but was completely devastated by the murder of his best friend and loyal partner, Detective Sgt. Justin Ripley (Warren Brown). Since then, Luther has been keeping a low-profile and nursing his wounds. “He wants to try and have a positive life, and that’s where we meet him at this stage of the show,” the 43-year-old actor says. “He’s only human and he can only take so much, so he has found himself a little nook in the world and he just wants to chill out.” That temporary solitude is broken by two police colleagues (Darren Boyd, “Veep,” and Rose Leslie, “Game of Thrones”) who plead for Luther’s help in stopping a cannibalistic serial killer who is terrorizing their city, consuming body parts as he goes. Reluctantly, Luther shakes off his despair and undertakes one of the most chilling cases of his career.
“He’s seen as a legend, but his colleagues are like, ‘Is he OK? Is he going to be all right?’ ” Elba explains. “There’s a wonderment about whether he will be effective as usual. There’s definitely a sense of awe from the people around him, but they’re also not sure whether he will be any good anymore.” The actor, who has major roles in upcoming 2016 feature films “Star Trek Beyond” and “The Jungle Book,” says he’s happy to be able to give his fans another chapter of the series they’ve been clamoring for. “The show is exactly what it says on the can: It’s a thrill ride,” Elba says. “The fans love how scary it is, and we definitely have not changed that DNA. ‘Luther’ has evolved and grown a little bit, but the show is still what it always has been. There are some very scary characters, as usual. It’s a how-catch-‘em, not a will-he-catch-‘em. Since it’s over two hours, it feels a bit more like a film. I’m really excited, because it’s kind of reprogramming the audience for what I eventually hope will be a ‘Luther’ film one day.” Elba says he and “Luther” creator Neil Cross are confident that big-screen adaptation is just a question of “when,” not “if.” “We just haven’t decided where we want to pick up the film, in terms of whether it’s going to be an origin story or something that starts off somewhere else,” he explains. “I think the big-screen ‘Luther’ will feel more like (James) Bond. It’ll be my Bond.”
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Mariah Carey croons
‘A Christmas Melody’ Mariah Carey directs and appears in Saturday’s new Hallmark Channel movie “A Christmas Melody.” Story on next page
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Mariah Careyshares
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‘A Christmas Melody’ as actress and director By Jay Bobbin
It’s logical to assume just about any Mariah Carey project will involve her singing, but “A Christmas Melody” involves much more for her. The five-time Grammy winner not only is a star but also the director of Hallmark Channel’s new Saturday, Dec. 19, movie about a youngster (played by Fina Strazza, alias Broadway’s “Matilda”) who’s relocated from Manhattan to her divorced mother’s (Lacey Chabert) Ohio hometown. They run into problems with the local PTA president (Carey) – Mom’s high-school rival – but a music teacher (Brennan Elliott, of Hallmark’s series “Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove”) and a coffee-shop owner (Kathy Najimy) try to make things better for them. “Dreamlover,” “Fantasy” and “Always Be My Baby” hitmaker Carey explains that directing is “something I’ve done behind the scenes, on music videos, for a long time. I’ve never really talked about it that much because I didn’t want people to think I was doing it as a vanity thing. Really, it’s just because I care about the outcome of a project. “When it came to looking at ‘A Christmas Melody,’ it really was so I could direct it. I wasn’t even going to act in it, which would have been easier ... but this was a really good experience for me. I like my role in it, because she’s kind of a funny stage mom who’s not the nicest person on Earth, so Lacey and I have some fun scenes together.” And yes, there is plentiful music in “A Christmas Melody,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean Carey’s is the film’s dominant voice in that sense. “We hear a lot of Christmas music in it,” she notes, “and an original song that I wrote and recorded, but I changed the lyrics for Fina Strazza so that it would work for the movie. She
Click or tap on icon for more! re-recorded it in my studio in my house, and it’s a good performance. Her acting is the main thing, though. She kind of lights up the screen; she’s really a special talent.” After her appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, another part of Carey’s holiday season is her second year of concerts at New York’s Beacon Theatre, wrapping up just before “A Christmas Melody” debuts. Those shows are named for her seasonal standard “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and she says she enjoys its use in the popular 2003 movie comedy “Love Actually,” as sung by young Olivia Olson. “I think it’s great! I think it was really cute. I don’t think I ever knew at the time, when I said that they could use it, that it would become such a big movie ... kind of a classic. As the co-writer of the song, it makes me happy to see people enjoy it during the holidays. It’s a great feeling.” Among the filmmakers Carey – who recently got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – has worked with is Lee Daniels (in his drama “The Butler”). Though her immediate future entails a return to Las Vegas to finish up her concert residency at Caesars Palace, and evidently an appearance on Fox’s “American Idol” by former judge Carey during its upcoming final season – there’s a possibility she could turn up on Daniels’ Fox series “Empire.” “I want to play a character, and not myself, if I go on it,” she says, “so we have to talk about it. I think he wants me to be in an episode that he directs, so we’ll see if it works out. And if not, the show will still be there, but I’d be excited to do it.”
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Parents help their adult kids find love on
‘Married by Mom and Dad’
Pictured: Christina Rollyson (center) and her parents Derrald and Becky
At first blush, the premise of TLC’s “Married by Mom and Dad” might seem at the very least a little Old World and at most kind of creepy. After all, a lot of people might not want their parents selecting a mate for them. But when you consider everything, the reasoning is sound. Parents know their children probably better than anyone, certainly better than co-workers, most friends or Internet dating websites, so it would follow that they would be best suited to finding their offspring a significant other. Especially when said offspring is either too busy to do it themselves or has had repeated failures. And so it goes for four singles as they undergo what TLC is billing its “social experiment” that premieres Sunday, Dec. 13. Christina Rollyson, a 33-year-old travel agency owner from Charleston, S.C., decided to give it a try since her work didn’t allow much of a social life. But first she had to get the folks on board “I called my stepmom,” she says, laughing, “and I said, ‘Hey, this is what’s up. This is what I want to do.’ And she knew because I texted her, like, ‘It’s important. I want to talk to you.’ So I called her and she was like, ‘OK, you’re either married, you’re pregnant or you have a dog.’ So I told her
what was going on and I said, ‘Well, I want to get married and guess who is deciding on my husband.’ And I said, ‘I want you to explain all this to Dad while he’s sitting down … and break the news to him.’ And surprisingly they called me the next day and he was on board and he was excited about it.” The process, at least in Rollyson’s parents’ case, involved them reviewing profiles and videotapes and winnowing down the field to a few, whom they then met. At some point after that, Rollyson met the ones they liked. “There were a lot of surprises, I will say that,” she says. “But it was a great experience for me; it was a very positive experience. You know, you’re obviously close to your parents. I’m close to my dad and stepmom but to get to know somebody on that level, it brings you closer together because now they’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t think that maybe Christina would want this in a guy but she does.’ And it just made us talk and communicate so much more, and we had a blast doing it.” And while Rollyson can’t say whether she did find love, she is happy with the outcome. “I’m smiling,” she says, “so I was able to get not only closer to my dad and stepmom but all of my family and friends, and I really realized who was there and supportive of me. It was a loving experience, is what it was.”
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‘Childhood’s End’ brings Arthur C. Clarke sci-fi to Syfy By Jay Bobbin The year 2001 wasn’t the only one that concerned Arthur C. Clarke. Before he developed the script for “2001: A Space Odyssey” with Stanley Kubrick, the novelist’s book “Childhood’s End” had attracted the filmmaker’s attention. Ultimately, it took until now for the story to get screen treatment – which it does as a Syfy miniseries running nightly Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 14 through 16. Charles Dance, Mike Vogel (“Under the Dome”), Daisy Betts, Julian McMahon (“Nip/Tuck”) and Colm Meaney are featured in the saga of Earth getting new residents in aliens known as Overlords. They apparently want to bring peace and prosperity to the planet, but they also have secrets, making some suspect their true motives ... for good reason, as it turns out. Though Clarke wrote “Childhood’s End” in 1953, Matthew Graham – who adapted it for television and is among the project’s executive producers – believes times aren’t that much different now. “He was writing after the world had been shaken to the core by World War II. He was writing at the beginning of the Cold War. Actually, it’s all exactly the same. We just have to swap Nazis for somebody else. “We have a cold war growing,” Graham adds. “We are all rattled by events of the last 15 years. So, it’s interesting
Pictured: Daisy Betts and Mike Vogel
how absolutely all the same things apply. And one man’s surveillance is another man’s security, and they’re the things (Clarke explored) in the book. Some people want to be spied on. They want to be looked at. They feel safe, and other people don’t.” Co-star Vogel notes of the world “Childhood’s End” depicts, “You’re given everything in a wonderful bubble. Everything’s great, but it becomes very homogenized and everyone conforms and everyone’s the same. My argument has always been that when you look at a lot of great art, a lot of music, a lot of cultural movements ... we don’t necessarily need pain for those things to happen. There will still be pain, but a lot of art and music and such has come out of immense pain and immense struggle, and that’s sort of the question (the story) asks: Can you have one without the other?” Indeed, “one person’s utopia is not the same as another’s,” actress Betts says, “so everybody’s always going to be conflicting in what they’re striving towards. And that’s where the great conflicts of our world come from, where we don’t agree with someone else. That is the inherent problem in the idea of utopia. It’s not the same for everybody, so if we’re offered it on a platter, what does that mean for our existence now? This project explores that through these characters.”
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SPORTS
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Full Name: Amari Cooper
Team: Oakland Raiders
Born: June 17, 1994
Position: Wide Receiver
Birthplace: Miami, Fl.
No.: 89
Height/Weight: 6 foot, 1 inch/210-pounds
College: Alabama
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Drafted: Fourth overall pick by Oakland Honors and Achievements: Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week (Week 7); Heisman Trophy finalist (2014); Fred Biletnikoff Award (2014); BCS National Champion (2013)
SPORTS
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By Dan Ladd The Oakland Raiders seem committed to returning to the prominence of glory years past. It began when they drafted quarterback Derek Carr in 2014 and continues with their 2015 draft day acquisition, wideout Amari Cooper. The Raiders will have an upset in mind when they travel to Denver to take on the Broncos, Sunday, Dec. 13 on CBS. It should be noted that the NFL’s Flexible Schedule policy reserves the right to move an afternoon game to the prime-time evening slot on NBC. Could that happen here? Quite possibly, given the fact that the “Silver and Black” are an exciting team with young offensive talent. Carr’s development at quarterback took a considerable leap this year when the Raiders acquired veteran receiver Michael Crabtree. That opened the door for Cooper as well, who quickly became a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Cooper picked up in the NFL right where he left off in Alabama where he set school and SEC records. He left ’Bama as the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards; all achieved in just three seasons.
AmariCooper
Now it’s the Raiders who are the beneficiaries of his productivity, this season Cooper has already eclipsed Tim Brown’s rookie record for receptions (43) and is eyeing a 1,000-yard season. The Raiders could also find themselves contending for a playoff spot, which would be their first since their AFC Championship run in 2002. December 13 - 19, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 19
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MOVIES JAY BOBBIN's Theatrical movie review review
Not much holiday-season love for
‘The Coopers’ Pictured: Diane Keaton and John Goodman
A modern holiday tale is one of the trickiest things to pull off in a movie. It has to contend with fond memories of many seasonal classics, and it also faces being too modern for its own good. For every “Home Alone” that does succeed, there are three or four movies like “Love the Coopers,” yet another attempted Christmas-season comedy stuffed with stars and subplots – but, in the end, to little avail, even if several of those stars are Oscar winners. Diane Keaton (who pretty much made the same movie before with “The Family Stone”) and John Goodman play the heads of this clan, and they’re on the verge of splitting up. Joining them for the holidays are their grown offspring Ed Helms and Olivia Wilde, and other family members including Marisa Tomei and Alan Arkin. Each has his or her own concerns and crises, and it all adds up to what you might find on their holiday dinner table: a hill of beans. For instance, Tomei is a shoplifter caught by a cop (Anthony Mackie) who takes more than a felony-charging interest in her, and family patriarch Arkin
is upset that his favorite waitress (Amanda Seyfried) is moving on. Those aren’t exactly traffic-halting dilemmas, but even then, they can be intriguing on a basic human-interest level if presented in an interesting way. “Love the Coopers” doesn’t have time to be concerned with that, though, it’s so intent on jamming so much in ... resulting in proof of the adage “more is less.” Even talents who usually can do something with anything, such as Keaton and Arkin, are hamstrung by the material here. And as if the picture’s makers don’t trust viewers to follow everything that’s going on – frankly, you still can be in kindergarten and not have that problem here – there’s “helpful” narration to spell everything out. (Supplied by Keaton’s “Father of the Bride”-mate Steve Martin, no less.) Movies like “Love the Coopers” work best if they have one or two performers or characters you can invest in, but every person in this cast has done better roles and better films. And you’ve certainly seen better holiday movies. “Love the Coopers”? Well ... you won’t.
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MOVIES JAY BOBBIN's movie review movies to watch
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Top Pick
DVD
“MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION” Some of the franchise’s best stunts fuel the latest entry in the update of the classic TV series, literally getting off the ground right at the outset with Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) unique and breathtaking way of boarding a departing airplane. He’s an agent without an agency after the CIA shuts down his team, prompting him to act on his own as he regathers his colleagues (Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames) to dismantle an organization of rogue operatives. Rebecca Ferguson is an attractive and effective cast addition as an agent of uncertain loyalties, and Alec Baldwin also appears. The film was written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who also worked with Cruise on “Jack Reacher.” ››› (PG13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand) Pictured: Tom Cruise
upcoming DVD releases
Coming Soon on DVD...
“WAR ROOM” (Dec. 22): A maritally challenged couple (Priscilla C. Shirer, T.C. Stallings) is affected by a woman (Karen Abercrombie) who inspires them to fight for their family. (PG: AS) “BLACK MASS” (Dec. 22): Johnny Depp stars as Bostonmob figure James “Whitey” Bulger, an informant for an FBI agent and childhood friend (Joel Edgerton). (R: AS, P, GV)
Pictured: Karen Abercrombie (left) and Priscilla C. Shirer
“PAN” (Dec. 22): The young Peter Pan (Levi Miller) discovers Neverland, the Captain Hookto-be (Garrett Hedlund) and the pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman). (PG: P, V)
“HITMAN: AGENT 47” (Dec. 29): An assassin (Rupert Friend) turns on the agency that wants to utilize his very special DNA to create a brigade of similar killers; Zachary Quinto also stars. (R: AS, P, V) “THE PERFECT GUY” (Dec. 29): A woman (Sanaa Lathan) comes to regret getting involved with a stranger (Michael Ealy) who begins stalking her; Morris Chestnut also stars. (PG-13: AS, P, V) “SICARIO” (Jan. 5): Emily Blunt plays an FBI agent trying to dismantle a drug cartel along the U.S.-Mexico border; Benicio Del Toro also stars. (R: AS, P, GV)
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FAVORITE SHOWS
Jeff Probst hosts “Survivor”
“Adele Live in New York City”
“I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!”
SUNDAY 9 p.m. on ABC Blood & Oil The title “Departures” is appropriate for this new episode, since even though ABC is billing it as a “season finale,” production on the show has ended — so for all intents and purposes, it’s the series finale. The holiday season gives the story its backdrop, as Billy and Cody (Chace Crawford, Rebecca Rittenhouse) both face temptations that test their marriage severely. Hap and Annie (Don Johnson, guest star Lolita Davidovich) consider teaming up. Season Finale New
Don Johnson stars in “Blood & Oil”
MONDAY 10 p.m. on NBC Adele Live in New York City With her latest album “25” one of the biggest instant successes in modern music history, the Grammy and Oscar winner performs in a concert taped in November at Radio City Music Hall. Interestingly, Adele is teamed with Lorne Michaels — whose “Saturday Night Live” she recently appeared on again — in also executive-producing the special. Expect many “25” tunes, including “Hello” and “When We Were Young,” to be among her selections here. New
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TUESDAY 9 p.m. on ABC I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown! Nothing can replace the classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” but this 2003 animated special reunites the updated Peanuts gang with the yuletide season. Linus and Lucy’s little brother, ReRun, needs stress relief — so he goes to Snoopy for attention and fun, but the canine has plans that don’t include the boy. Voice talents include Jimmy Bennett, Adam Taylor Gordon and one of the original “Peanuts” specials’ producers, Bill Melendez.
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FAVORITE SHOWS
WEDNESDAY 8 p.m. on CBS Survivor The show’s fans had their say of which past contestants would come back to vie again for the $1 million grand prize — and the returnee who claims that money is determined in this two-hour finale of the program’s “Second Chance” season set in Cambodia. Host Jeff Probst presides over this round’s final snuffing-out of the torches, then returns for another hour with the traditional reunion special in which all of the participants recount the experience. Season Finale New
FRIDAY 9 p.m. on CBS A Home for the Holidays CBS’ go-to star as a host of music specials, “NCIS: Los Angeles” regular LL Cool J adds the 17th edition of this annual program to his resume this year. Appropriately, music is a big factor this time as he introduces concert performances by Christina Aguilera, Jason Derulo, Rascal Flatts and Ed Sheeran that are related to heartwarming stories of adoption. Several California families are highlighted, as well as clans from Pittsburgh and Seattle. New
THURSDAY 8 p.m. on FOX American Country Countdown’s Top 10 Stories of 2015 An alternative to a country-award show staged the past several Decembers, this new special — hosted by Darius Rucker — takes a different approach to recapping the year in country music. Kix Brooks (host of the radio show from which the special takes its name), Luke Bryan, Shania Twain and Florida Georgia Line are among the artists who discuss some of the genre’s biggest moments of the past 12 months. Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean are seen in concert. New 8 p.m. on CW iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Some of today’s top music stars get into the spirit of the season again with this annual event, recorded at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, The Weeknd, Calvin Harris and 5 Seconds of Summer are among the headliners, rendering their spins on familiar holiday tunes along with their own hits. Radio personality Elvis Duran is the host. New
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SATURDAY 8 p.m. on ABC Democratic Debate The latest debate between the contenders for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination (and the final debate for this calendar year) is broadcast from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. “ABC World News” weeknight anchor David Muir, Martha Raddatz — the network’s chief global affairs correspondent — and Josh McElveen, of local affiliate WMUR, moderate the event. George Stephanopoulos serves as lead anchor of the coverage overall. New
LL Cool J hosts “A Home for the Holidays”
Darius Rucker hosts “American Country Countdown’s Top 10 Stories of 2015”
George Stephanopoulos anchors coverage of a “Democratic Debate”
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